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Bougainvillea, one of nature's beauties
No Mediterranean garden is complete without the splendour of the Bougainvillea. No matter what colour, it will brighten the landscape. It will decorate fences and pergolas with an explosion of colour and, what’s best, it does not require a lot to do so.
General Description:
Bougainvillea is a woody vine that comes form the tropics of South America. It is semi-deciduous to deciduous in the climate of Cyprus depending on the location it is planted. The flowers of the bougainvillea are small, unimpressive yellow white. However, they are surrounded by papery bracts, which are responsible for the impressive display of colour.
Soil:
Bougainvillea is tolerant and adapts to almost any type of soil. However, well drained soil is always the best.
Light:
In order to achieve the best flowering, plant it in full sun.
Watering:
Normal watering required. Just like we always advise our clients for most of their plants, DO NOT over-water as it can be much worse than keeping a plant thirsty. Also note that in case your bougainvillea does not flower enough, let the soil dry out before watering again.
Fertilizing:
Bougainvillea needs regular fertilizing. We usually fertilize them three times a year, early in spring, in mid-summer and early in autumn, with a general purpose fertilizer, usually a slow release one as it seems to have better results for bougainvilleas. In case it is not flowering enough, apart from the above mentioned method of letting the soil drying out, a bloom booster fertilizer can be used.
Pruning:
Pruning is essential for bougainvilleas. It helps them keep healthy and strong, it encourages vigorous new growth and it gives them a tidy and shaped look. We prune our plants in February, just before new growth appears, and we usually prune heavily. Our plants seem to love it. We always get vigorous new growth and the plants look magnificent.
Colours:
There is a large variety of colours. White, pink, orange, red, double pink, double red, pink and white on the same plant. And all of them are beautiful and impressive. It should be noted though, that the single-flower varieties have more vigorous growth than the double-flower ones. If you are planting next to a swimming pool, the double-flower plants are more appropriate as they do no drop the dead flowers.
Word of caution:
Bougainvillea is one of the easiest plants to grow. Their only sensitivity is their root system, especially at an early age. They should be handled with care when planted so that the root ball is not disturbed and they should be securely tied to a strong stick when planted so that they are not overly shaken by the wind.
So, does your garden have a bougainvillea? If not you are missing one of nature’s true beauties.
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